Mark Emmons honored as New Mexico Academic Librarian of the Year

Mark Emmons, professor and dean of the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences, has been named the 2025 New Mexico Academic Librarian of the Year by the New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries (NMCAL).

This prestigious award is presented annually to a member of the New Mexico Consortium of Academic Libraries in recognition of significant accomplishments in academic librarianship. The honor celebrates leadership, innovation and a sustained commitment to advancing library services and scholarship across New Mexico's higher education institutions.

Dean Emmons has worked at UNM since July 1998 and has served in various leadership roles within the College of University Libraries and Learning Sciences. Emmons was named dean earlier this semester, having previously served as associate dean and interim dean.

"I believe libraries make a difference and librarians make a difference, but we make an even greater difference when we work together through organizations like NMCAL and NMLA. Our greatest impact comes when we come together as a community," said Emmons.

The award was presented during the 2025 New Mexico Library Association Annual Conference in Oct., where colleagues celebrated Emmons's decades-long contributions to librarianship, mentorship and professional service.

In addition to his academic experience, early in his career he worked as a bilingual teacher, a librarian at Occidental College in Los Angeles and as an assistant director and production assistant on film, television and commercial productions. Emmons earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies in 1983 and a master of library sciences degree in 1990, both from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a doctor of education degree in educational leadership from UNM in 2012.